EXAMPLES and
CLARIFICATIONS
i.e. abbreviation e.g. abbreviation
used especially in writing to explain exactly what the for example (from Latin ‘exempli gratia’)
previous thing that you have mentioned means (from Popular pets, e.g. cats and dogs.
Latin ‘id est’) Give details of relevant work experience during
The hotel is closed during low season, i.e. from the last two years, e.g. weekend or holiday jobs.
October to March. These tips are based on areas of English (e.g.
The price must be more realistic, i.e. lower. spelling, grammar, collocation, etc) which
learners often find difficult.
namely adverb for example
used to introduce more exact and detailed used when giving an example of the type of thing
information about something that you have just you mean:
mentioned Offices can easily become more
We need to concentrate on our target audience, environmentally-friendly by, for example, using
namely women aged between 20 and 30. recycled paper.
I learned an important lesson when I lost my job, There are so many variables, for example
namely that nothing is a hundred percent interest rates have an effect on demand.’
guaranteed.
that is (to say )... for instance
You use that is or that is to say to indicate that you for example:
are about to express the same idea more clearly or In the electronics industry, for instance, 5,000
precisely. jobs are being lost.
Our friends, that is to say our son's friends, will What would you do, for instance, if you found a
meet us at the airport. member of staff stealing?
I am a disappointing, though generally dutiful,
student. That is, I do as I'm told.
in other words take somebody/something (for example)
to explain it more clearly: used to give an example of something you have just
The last train left at six. In other words, we’re been talking about
stuck here. People love British cars. Take the Mini. In Japan,
They're letting me go—in other words, I've been it still sells more than all the other British cars
sacked. put together.
or rather adverb (MORE EXACTLY) to put it another way
more accurately; more exactly: to explain it more clearly:
She'll fly to California on Thursday, or rather, she They’ve only invited the very highest-level
will if she has to. managers. To put it another way, they don’t
We all went in Vic’s car, or rather his father’s. want people like us!
viz. adverb old-fashioned I mean (to say)
used, especially in written English, when you want to used for adding a comment or explaining what you
give more detail or be more exact about something have just said
you have just written: We couldn’t live on that! I mean, it’s ridiculous.
We both shared the same ambition, viz., to make Of course she wants to see the children – I mean
a lot of money and to retire at 40. to say, it’s only natural isn’t it?